FK-KMK UGM. The Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK), in collaboration with the Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, and Faculty of Agricultural Technology at UGM, is organizing the Summer Course 2024 themed “Nourishing Futures: Exploring the Intersection of Food Security and Health Status.” The opening ceremony of Summer Course 2024 was held on Wednesday (June 18) in the Auditorium on the 1st floor of FK-KMK UGM.

Food security and health status are two interconnected dimensions of human well-being, forming a complex relationship that influences global public health. The academic discourse on this intersection has become increasingly prominent as the connection between access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food and population health becomes clearer. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately 690 million people worldwide suffered from hunger in 2019, highlighting the persistent challenge in achieving global food security. Malnutrition, a critical aspect of poor food security, significantly contributes to the burden of disease.

Addressing food security and health requires a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach. Policies must ensure the availability of food and its nutritional quality. Sustainable agriculture and health education are crucial for promoting healthy food choices and well-being. These integrated efforts support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to zero hunger and good health. Therefore, Summer Course 2024 is conducted to explore food security and health to support innovative integrated health services.

The Chairman of Summer Course 2024, Tony Arjuna, S.Gz., M.Nut.Diet., AN., APD., Ph.D., welcomed and explained the goals of Summer Course 2024, “We hope this Summer Course 2024 becomes a memorable experience for all participants. I strongly hope that this Summer Course will connect participants and enable them to collaborate together. This is the first step in forming the future generation of scientists, medical professionals, researchers, engineers, and food technologists who can professionally address food security and health issues. Food security is a serious issue and a current global priority. Hopefully, through Summer Course 2024, participants can understand that to solve this problem, we must work together with different knowledge backgrounds, disciplines, and methods to comprehensively and sustainably solve food security and health quality. Enjoy the Course!”

Dean of FK-KMK UGM, Prof. Dr. Yodi Mahendradhata, M.Sc., Ph.D., FRSPH quoted Albert Einstein, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” In line with this, it is expected that Summer Course 2024 will not only expand participants’ knowledge but also their ability to think critically and work collaboratively in addressing global challenges related to food security and health status. Two pillars of human well-being that are interconnected and reinforce each other. Ensuring safe, nutritious, and affordable food aligns with the global mission to improve health outcomes and promote well-being. This Summer Course 2024 is our effort to provide a quality discussion platform between students and experts from various backgrounds and countries,” said Prof. Yodi.

The Faculty of Pharmacy was represented by the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Collaboration, and Alumni, Dr. rer. nat. apt. Nanang Fakhrudin, M.Si. He stated, “We hope this Summer Course 2024 brings new experiences for the participants where we can learn and discuss how to address global issues related to health, food, and agriculture along with solutions or approaches to solve them. I believe this event will be successful and provide many benefits for all of us.”

Next, Drg. Iffah Mardhiyah, M.Biomed., represented the Faculty of Dentistry. “We know that food security is important to discuss for the welfare of our society. Hopefully, with the implementation of Summer Course 2024, we can gain additional knowledge and experience that can be applied in empowering our communities,” she said.

The kick-off of Summer Course 2024 was also attended by representatives of three new collaborators, namely the Faculty of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, and Faculty of Agricultural Technology. The Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Endrika Widyastuti SPt., M.Sc., MP., PhD, greeted the participants and guests with her hopes for the implementation of Summer Course 2024. “We are delighted to see many enthusiastic faces here ready to embark on a journey of learning and exploring one of the most pressing issues, which is food security and its relationship to health status. How interconnected our global systems are. Food security is not just about having enough food but also ensuring everyone has equal access to nutritious food sufficient for a healthy and active life,” she said.

Finally, Ir. R. Ahmad Romadhoni Surya Putra., S.Pt., M.Sc., Ph.D., IPM., ASEAN Eng, representing the Faculty of Animal Science, stated, “The Summer Course 2024 program is a great opportunity to study animal science in various subjects. The production process of animal-based food products, and the processes that follow. We hope that through Summer Course 2024 we can expand relationships, research collaborations, and also promote the most important issues in human life and health status, which is food.”

The Summer Course 2024 is attended by a total of 133 participants, comprising 49 domestic offline participants and 22 international offline participants, as well as 52 international online participants. The series of activities will continue until June 28, 2024.

FK-KMK regularly organizes the Summer Course each year as part of its effort to provide continuous education to both UGM students and non-UGM participants. This initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), point 2 Zero Hunger, point 3 Good Health and Well-being, point 4 Quality Education, point 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, point 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and point 17 Partnerships for the Goals (Assyifa/Reporter)